


Beware the Song of Sirens

by Setting_Out_Stars



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: 18th Century, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Elemental Magic, Junmyeon's Birthday Week 2020, M/M, Merpeople, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24356998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Setting_Out_Stars/pseuds/Setting_Out_Stars
Summary: Junmyeon wonders if he should be alarmed - if he should call for help or try and make for the safety of his ship - but as he stares into the mercreature's icy blue eyes, Junmyeon finds that he feels nothing but calm.In this moment, Junmyeon would give Chanyeol everything he asked for andmore.
Relationships: Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 8
Kudos: 34
Collections: Challenge #2 — Merfolk





	Beware the Song of Sirens

They're currently anchored in a cove, hidden away from plain sight and surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs that rise up from the water like giant, menacing claws. Junmyeon sits on an outcropping of jagged rocks, shrouded in the shadow of his ship, the black sails lowered and tied down. Every so often he gets sprayed by sea water, choppy waves crashing against the side of the rocks and soaking through his clothes. Junmyeon doesn't really mind; it's humid in these parts, especially during the summer.

And besides, he's distracted.

  
  


The singing continues; deep and lilted, crystal clear despite the strong winds, foreign words reaching Junmyeon's ears almost as if someone were singing them right by him. He smiles as he listens, hums along softly, and waits.

It doesn't take long for _him_ to appear, coral pink hair breaking the surface of the water gently, followed by wide, icy blue eyes and pale, pale skin, crimson scales shimmering along his cheekbones. The waves die down around them, dark waters going eerily still as the mercreature stares at Junmyeon, ruby lips parting to reveal hundreds of razor sharp fangs as he smiles.

Junmyeon laughs, slides onto a ledge a little closer to the surface of the water and beckons the mercreature closer, wonders if he'll finally succeed in learning his name today or the reason why he's been following Junmyeon around for almost a year now. All his life, Junmyeon has been warned against creatures of the sea and has been told that they only bring misfortune to all those who hear their song. Two moons ago he even had a soothsayer grab him by his collar in the middle of a bustling marketplace and beg with wild eyes for him to steer clear of temptation - to purge the siren's song from his mind or he would pay with his life.

Junmyeon had found that extremely hard to believe however because all his “siren” has ever brought him is good fortune; clear skies, wind in their sails, bountiful hauls – protection from the elements and his enemies alike. So how could Junmyeon ever associate his siren's song with misfortune?

And yet even Junmyeon knows – despite not sensing any threat from this creature – that he may want something in return. Everything in this world comes with a price after all.

"Come closer," Junmyeon calls softly, looks at the mercreature who stays floating a few feet away from him, just out of reach. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

The mercreature blinks, his face impassive but his blue eyes cold and calculating. He spends what feels like forever staring at Junmyeon until he finally swims closer, so close Junmyeon could reach out and touch him if he wanted to. Junmyeon smiles in triumph. The creature bares his fangs in close approximation.

"What is your name?" He asks, and in the hopes that it may prompt the mercreature into speaking, he points at himself and says, "I'm Junmyeon."

The mercreature blinks again and raises a hand much like Junmyeon did, points one long, chipped claw at himself and speaks, his voice rough and yet hypnotic at the same time.

" _Chanyeol_."

Junmyeon beams, whispers the name to himself before he speaks it louder, watches as the mercreature lifts his iridescent tail out of the water and flaps it hard, sending a spray of salt water everywhere. His smile stretches wider across his face until he starts to look less like a human and more like the creature that he is.

Before Junmyeon can ask him another question however, Chanyeol holds up his other hand and extends it to Junmyeon, his clenched fist unfurling to reveal a clear, white pearl the size of a bullet sitting in the centre of his palm.

Junmyeon gasps, reaches out to take it without thinking twice and bites into the pearl just to make sure that it's real. Chanyeol just watches him quietly, his unnerving smile still in place.

Junmyeon looks at the mercreature, his excitement wavering slightly. He rolls the pearl in his palm. It feels like it suddenly weighs a lot more than it should and Junmyeon wonders if he's only imagining things. Wonders if the paranoia is finally getting to him.

"There must be something you want in return," Junmyeon mumbles thoughtfully, loud enough for the mercreature to hear. He holds the pearl up in the setting sunlight and watches it change from white to orange to red as he twists his hand, letting it catch the light.

Junmyeon is not stupid, he has always known that the mercreature was after something but he could never figure out what it could be because Junmyeon had nothing to give; he was a pirate after all and he didn't make much for a living.

Chanyeol turns serious in the blink of an eye. He swims up to Junmyeon, closer than he was before, his ombre tail gliding smoothly through the water and shimmering as it catches the dying rays of the setting sun. He places his hands onto the rock near Junmyon's feet and hauls himself up, water rolling down his pallid skin, drawing Junmyeon’s attention to the numerous ugly scars marring his chest and arms. Junmyeon sits stock still as Chanyeol balances his weight on one arm and reaches up with the other. He puts his hand on Junmyeon's chest, right over his sodden shirt, claws digging into Junmyeon's skin painfully. Junmyeon holds still, doesn’t move nor speak as the mercreature’s lips stretch out into a wide smile, his voice ringing in Junmyeon’s ears as he speaks.

“I want one thing,” Chanyeol says, eyeing Junmyeon intently. “ _Your heart_.”

Junmyeon wonders if he should be alarmed - if he should call for help or try and make for the safety of his ship - but as he stares into the mercreature's icy blue eyes, Junmyeon finds that he feels nothing but calm.

In this moment, Junmyeon would give Chanyeol everything he asked for and _more_.


End file.
